Where the Buffalo Roam

Rating:
Summary: Don't be fooled
Review: Don't be fooled by some of the other reviews listed above. I saw a lot of five star and four star reviews here, but let me tell you the truth so that you don't make the mistake I just did: this movie is a stinker. And that's being very generous. This movie had a few funny scenes--and I'm talking a FEW--but, as a whole, it was absolutely dreadful. It's two hours of your life that you'll never get back. Save your time and your money and steer clear of this ....

Rating:
Summary: Altered Sondtrack!!
Review: Some of the songs on this DVD are changed from what I think is the original version. The first noticable case is in the first scene where the fax machine gets shot. The song that starts right after Thompson (B. Murray) unloads/loads the gun and starts the stereo is totally different. Very annoying. See another review here for more details. As far as the video transfer goes, it seems flawless.

Rating:
Summary: I'd Rather Eat Poison Than Watch This Movie
Review: I will admit, I'm a big fan of Hunter S. Thompson, but this movie made his real career seem like an ugly joke. Thompson has contributed much to the development of journalism, literature, and to some degree politics, yet "Where The Buffalo Roam" uses silly, slap-stick humor to portray an important author. Norman Mailer, and Tom Wolfe have never been portrayed this way, and it's a shame that Thompson chose to allow this movie to be made. The film has a few funny moments, and I guess a fan of Hunter Thompson will find it slightly entertaining, but don't expect "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas".

Rating:
Summary: Dr. Thompson hated it...why shouldn't you?
Review: This film, for some reason, sticks out in my memory. I remembered seeing it as a child somewhere on network television . So, in a fit of nostalgia, I bought the thing. The bits I remembered were there (the hunting knife and grapefruit scene in the airplane...Playing football with the hotel staff instead of going to the Super Bowl he was covering) BUT those remain the only good things about this film. As a longtime fan of the good doctor, I could not help liking Bill Murrays portrayel (although it was a bit like "Caddy Shack does outlaw journalism). Now you can listen to those people who like to make pretense at having some profound knowledge of Thompson (by dropping bits of trivia about his many works and his relationship to the brown buffalo, Oscar Acosta) but it will not help you. This might: Unless you have some random childhood memory of this picture which will force you (contrary to your better sense and critical judgement) to feel some nostalgic affection for it - Don't bother. It's a piece of monumental hackery and it's only saving grace is the opening of the film accompanied by Neil Young. It is that bad.

Rating:
Summary: Great HST, messed up soundtrack!
Review: As a Hunter S. Thompson fan, I thought this film was very enjoyable, maybe a little light. That's okay! But they messed up the soundtrack!! Only Neil Young was left untouched (or this would be a one-star review!) Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix are gone! Why?? Why would they mess with something so sacred? I'm pissed, but still find the film enjoyable and recommend it with 4 stars. Thanks.

Rating:
Summary: A Failed Attempt to Portray the Greatest of Anti-Heros
Review: Though burnouts-in-training may enjoy this movie for its gratuitous drug use and 'bad craziness', true Hunter Thompson fans recognize this shoddy piece of filmography to be just that, as well as a cheap attempt to make a buck off of a counter-culture icon(though it was originally based on a book about Oscar Acosta, the main focus of the film is Hunter). "Where the Buffalo Roam" concentrates on the hurricane-force excesses of the infamous father of gonzo, and, though this excess is a major component of Thompson's life, it is not everything, and certainly should not have been the sole focus of the movie. Bill Murray does a good job in his performance as Hunter S Thompson; the failure of the movie was not due to him but to the writers. The plot is wandering and uninspired, and even Thompson himself hated it. I vehemently discourage anyone from spending more than a few dollars to rent this film, and even in that case, do it only to satisfy your curiosity. "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", on the other hand, is a brilliantly directed film which captures the essence of the book(also marvelous) perfectly. It is a joy to watch(I have probably seen it upwards of 30 times), and everything about it, especially Johnny Depp's superb acting job, is spectacular. A must-have for any Thompson fan.

Rating:
Summary: The last of the buffalo
Review: While Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Terry Gilliam 1998) was an excellent adaptation of the book, it is no more than that, a fiilm version of a great novel. If one wants to know what's beneath the psychedelic surface of F&L, however, Where the Buffalo Roam is the place to look.

The film is impeccably well acted, directed, and written, and it captures the wierdness of the Gonzo lifestyle fairly well. It takes place in those years between the freedom of the sixties and the greed of the eigties; those years Dr. Thompson calls "the Nixon Years," a time where people stopped asking questions and discovered apathy, a time where the creative and free individuals among us had to go underground, turn wierd, or sell out to survive.

It is the way in which this film tells the story of this era and the accuracy of it's portrayal of the Gozo way of life(thanks to an amazing performance by Bill Murray and Peter Sellers) that makes it entertaining, but it is the way in which the film captures the deadly air of seriousness that hung over all the bizzare trials and tirbulations that makes it great.

Where the Buffalo Roam is one of those rare movies that cuts out all the BS and tells it like it is.

Anyone who knows Hunter S. Thompson (Author: Fear and loathing in Las Vegas, The Gonzo Papers Vol. 1-5, The Rum Diary, Hells Angels, and many other works) will love this movie, period. Anyone who likes Bill Murray will love this movie, period. In short, I wholeheartedly reccomend this title to anyone with an open mind, and cspecially those without one.

Greg Simon [e-mail] February 29, 2000

Rating:
Summary: No truth in labeling
Review: I had taped this movie off of premium cable nearly 20 years ago and have watched every Super Bowl Sunday. Those who have seen the movie understand the significance of watching on Super Sunday. With the original off cable tape starting to show signs of wear, I bought the VHS copy of this movie several years ago. I was sadly disappointed to learn that the film's soundtrack was re-scored and some Dylan and Hendrix tunes were replaced by generic soundtrack music.

When the DVD was released, I scoured the information available and didn't see a mention anywhere of the music being rescored. I was hopeful that the DVD release would have left the original score intact. WRONG !

Much to my dismay, I learned on Super Bowl Sunday that the music indeed was rescored and the packaging mentions it no where. Very disappointing to a hardcore viewer of this film.

As for the DVD copy, the video is pristine and really brings the film to life. People who have never seen the film will not miss Highway 61 or Purple Haze or any of the other tunes that have been rescored. Luckily they left Neil Young's version of "Home on the Range" intact. Enjoy the movie, and lament the missing tunes.

Rating:
Summary: Hunter Thompson
Review: It doesn't really matter how good or bad this movie is. It is about Hunter S. Thompson, that should be enough to enjoy it.

Rating:
Summary: Hunter S Thompson's Bad Crazyness!!!!!
Review: All I have to say is Hunter S Thompson is an aboslute "genius"!"Where the buffalo roam" was a great movie on the dope decade...